Lock taskbar? - programs are shifting places

[R]

I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the programs on
the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I mean the
buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the right). In
XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar" checked on
the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."

Can I keep them fixed in place?

[Delwin Lee [MSFT]]

You probably have button grouping turned on. When this is the case, buttons
will "cluster" together. (In other words, buttons for the same program will
stay close to the taskbar.)

You can turn button grouping off by right-clicking the clock, going to
Properties, and unchecking "Group similar taskbar buttons ..."

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.



"R" > wrote in message
...
> I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the programs
on
> the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I mean the
> buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the right). In
> XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar" checked on
> the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
>
> Can I keep them fixed in place?
>
>

[Sharon F]

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 18:55:20 GMT, "R" > wrote:

>I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the programs on
>the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I mean the
>buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the right). In
>XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar" checked on
>the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
>
>Can I keep them fixed in place?


A new feature in XP is grouping. It is a View option in Windows
Explorer's folder windows and can be implemented on the taskbar. When
used on the taskbar, XP will group open windows from the same program to
a single button. Click the button to pop up a list. Then select the
window you want to work in. The group can be managed as a whole (Close
Group, minimize group, etc). As you close programs and there are less
buttons on the tasbkar, the groups will disappear and you're back to one
button per program window.

If you'd like to turn this feature off, you can. Right click the Taskbar
and choose Properties. On the Taskbar page, uncheck the box next to
"Group similar taskbar buttons." Click OK.

Sharon F
MS MVP [Shell/User]

[Delwin Lee [MSFT]]

To clarify: when I said:

"In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to the
taskbar."

I meant:

"In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to each other
on the taskbar."

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Please reply in newsgroup.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


"Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
...
> You probably have button grouping turned on. When this is the case,
buttons
> will "cluster" together. (In other words, buttons for the same program
will
> stay close to the taskbar.)
>
> You can turn button grouping off by right-clicking the clock, going to
> Properties, and unchecking "Group similar taskbar buttons ..."
>
> --
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>
>
>
> "R" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the programs
> on
> > the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I mean
the
> > buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the right).
In
> > XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar" checked
on
> > the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
> >
> > Can I keep them fixed in place?
> >
> >
>
>

[R]

Delwin & Sharon F,

Thanks much for your replies. In fact, I had the "grouping" option turned
_off_ (I had noticed it, didn't like it, & found the switch).

But you've given me an idea. I use a program called PowerDesk, which is a
windows explorer replacement. When you copy files, PowerDesk opens a
progress window, which appears on the taskbar & then closes when the copying
is finished. Possibly, this pulls the main PowerDesk button on the taskbar
out of place: even tho they're not "grouped," they're part of the same
program. I can't replicate my problem at will, so I haven't been able to
test this - but does this sound possible/plausible?



"Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
...
> To clarify: when I said:
>
> "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to the
> taskbar."
>
> I meant:
>
> "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to each
other
> on the taskbar."
>
> --
> Please reply in newsgroup.
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>
>
> "Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
> ...
> > You probably have button grouping turned on. When this is the case,
> buttons
> > will "cluster" together. (In other words, buttons for the same program
> will
> > stay close to the taskbar.)
> >
> > You can turn button grouping off by right-clicking the clock, going to
> > Properties, and unchecking "Group similar taskbar buttons ..."
> >
> > --
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> >
> >
> >
> > "R" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the
programs
> > on
> > > the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I mean
> the
> > > buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the right).
> In
> > > XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar"
checked
> on
> > > the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
> > >
> > > Can I keep them fixed in place?
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Sharon F]

Sounds plausible but I've never seen a program button shift unless
grouping was in effect or unless the program was closed and then
reopened. May be it's something particular to Power Desk or it's
interactions with XP compared to other versions of Windows.

Sharon F
MS MVP [Shell/User]

On Wed, 02 Jul 2003 04:34:00 GMT, "R" > wrote:

>Delwin & Sharon F,
>
>Thanks much for your replies. In fact, I had the "grouping" option turned
>_off_ (I had noticed it, didn't like it, & found the switch).
>
>But you've given me an idea. I use a program called PowerDesk, which is a
>windows explorer replacement. When you copy files, PowerDesk opens a
>progress window, which appears on the taskbar & then closes when the copying
>is finished. Possibly, this pulls the main PowerDesk button on the taskbar
>out of place: even tho they're not "grouped," they're part of the same
>program. I can't replicate my problem at will, so I haven't been able to
>test this - but does this sound possible/plausible?
>
>
>
>"Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
...
>> To clarify: when I said:
>>
>> "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to the
>> taskbar."
>>
>> I meant:
>>
>> "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to each
>other
>> on the taskbar."
>>
>> --
>> Please reply in newsgroup.
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>rights.
>>
>>
>> "Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > You probably have button grouping turned on. When this is the case,
>> buttons
>> > will "cluster" together. (In other words, buttons for the same program
>> will
>> > stay close to the taskbar.)
>> >
>> > You can turn button grouping off by right-clicking the clock, going to
>> > Properties, and unchecking "Group similar taskbar buttons ..."
>> >
>> > --
>> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "R" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> > > I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the
>programs
>> > on
>> > > the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I mean
>> the
>> > > buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the right).
>> In
>> > > XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar"
>checked
>> on
>> > > the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
>> > >
>> > > Can I keep them fixed in place?
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>

[Delwin Lee [MSFT]]

AFAIK, programs shouldn't be able to move their own buttons around. In any
case, does this problem still happen when you don't use PowerDesk for a
while?

(BTW, why don't you like button grouping? Just curious ...)

--
Please reply in newsgroup.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.



"R" > wrote in message
. ..
> Delwin & Sharon F,
>
> Thanks much for your replies. In fact, I had the "grouping" option turned
> _off_ (I had noticed it, didn't like it, & found the switch).
>
> But you've given me an idea. I use a program called PowerDesk, which is a
> windows explorer replacement. When you copy files, PowerDesk opens a
> progress window, which appears on the taskbar & then closes when the
copying
> is finished. Possibly, this pulls the main PowerDesk button on the
taskbar
> out of place: even tho they're not "grouped," they're part of the same
> program. I can't replicate my problem at will, so I haven't been able to
> test this - but does this sound possible/plausible?
>
>
>
> "Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
> ...
> > To clarify: when I said:
> >
> > "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to the
> > taskbar."
> >
> > I meant:
> >
> > "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to each
> other
> > on the taskbar."
> >
> > --
> > Please reply in newsgroup.
> >
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> >
> >
> > "Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > You probably have button grouping turned on. When this is the case,
> > buttons
> > > will "cluster" together. (In other words, buttons for the same program
> > will
> > > stay close to the taskbar.)
> > >
> > > You can turn button grouping off by right-clicking the clock, going to
> > > Properties, and unchecking "Group similar taskbar buttons ..."
> > >
> > > --
> > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "R" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the
> programs
> > > on
> > > > the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I
mean
> > the
> > > > buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the
right).
> > In
> > > > XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar"
> checked
> > on
> > > > the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
> > > >
> > > > Can I keep them fixed in place?
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[R]

Probably because I'm set in my ways! :o)

But seriously ... I'm about a week & a half into setting up my new
computers & may try things for a while without PowerDesk. The problem has
happened about once every day or two, so it's not something I can make
happen at will.

PD is the program I use most & I rely on it for my file management &
navigation. I like it better than the Windows Explorer because of the extra
things it does (tho MS is eating into that, as they do with all utilities):
it has a program launchbar that's always visible/accessible, it's good with
file archives, it's got a built-in file viewer, it has a utility that shows
you total space usage in folders/subfolders, you can open multiple directory
panes, you can open a dos command line, etc etc. Nice program, and I like
it to always be in the lower left of the taskbar because I still click there
when I want it, out of habit, even if it moves away!

Grouping programs on the taskbar ... again probably habit, but I like to
just click once to get where I'm going, & I don't usually have so many
things open that the icons get squished beyond recognition.


"Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
...
> AFAIK, programs shouldn't be able to move their own buttons around. In any
> case, does this problem still happen when you don't use PowerDesk for a
> while?
>
> (BTW, why don't you like button grouping? Just curious ...)
>
> --
> Please reply in newsgroup.
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>
>
>
> "R" > wrote in message
> . ..
> > Delwin & Sharon F,
> >
> > Thanks much for your replies. In fact, I had the "grouping" option
turned
> > _off_ (I had noticed it, didn't like it, & found the switch).
> >
> > But you've given me an idea. I use a program called PowerDesk, which is
a
> > windows explorer replacement. When you copy files, PowerDesk opens a
> > progress window, which appears on the taskbar & then closes when the
> copying
> > is finished. Possibly, this pulls the main PowerDesk button on the
> taskbar
> > out of place: even tho they're not "grouped," they're part of the same
> > program. I can't replicate my problem at will, so I haven't been able
to
> > test this - but does this sound possible/plausible?
> >
> >
> >
> > "Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > To clarify: when I said:
> > >
> > > "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to the
> > > taskbar."
> > >
> > > I meant:
> > >
> > > "In other words, buttons for the same program will stay close to each
> > other
> > > on the taskbar."
> > >
> > > --
> > > Please reply in newsgroup.
> > >
> > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Delwin Lee [MSFT]" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > You probably have button grouping turned on. When this is the case,
> > > buttons
> > > > will "cluster" together. (In other words, buttons for the same
program
> > > will
> > > > stay close to the taskbar.)
> > > >
> > > > You can turn button grouping off by right-clicking the clock, going
to
> > > > Properties, and unchecking "Group similar taskbar buttons ..."
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > > rights.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "R" > wrote in message
> > > > ...
> > > > > I just switched from NT4 to XP professional. I was used to the
> > programs
> > > > on
> > > > > the taskbar staying in their order at the bottom of the screen (I
> mean
> > > the
> > > > > buttons between the Start button on the left & the tray on the
> right).
> > > In
> > > > > XP, they've been switching sequence. I have "lock the taskbar"
> > checked
> > > on
> > > > > the "Taskbar & Start Menu Properties."
> > > > >
> > > > > Can I keep them fixed in place?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>